Government quizzed over visa delays

Independent senator Nick
Xenophon
has confronted the federal government over delays to simpler visa processing arrangements for education and training businesses.

He said latest figures showed international enrolments in vocational education and training in South Australia were down 14 per cent compared with a national decline of 7.4 per cent, putting as many as 600 jobs at risk.

During Senate question time Senator Xenophon asked the government when streamlined visa arrangements which are already in place for universities would be extended to the VET sector.

“It is feared that only large providers will have access to these arrangements, seriously disadvantaging smaller providers, including many quality providers in South Australia," he said.

His question came after Navitas chief Rod Jones revealed in a briefing on the company’s latest financial results last Tuesday that he expected the government to move on the issue within weeks.

But the government’s response has only increased uncertainty. Senator
Kate Lundy
, representing the Immigration Minister, said there was no commitment from the government that streamlined visa processing for non-university providers would form part of its response to reviews of international education and visa risk levels.

But a draft report by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship obtained by The Australian Financial Review recommended that a select group of non-university providers posing low immigration risk be invited to opt in on the streamlined arrangements.

It is understood there were about 60 “low-risk" businesses in line to be granted such status, but the final report has not been released.

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From March last year, all foreign applicants with a confirmation of enrolment from a university have been processed as though they are the lowest- risk category for immigration purposes, no matter which country they come from. Most TAFEs, private colleges and English-language schools remain locked out of the streamlined system, which means their students must jump through more hoops to secure visas.

Australian Council for Private Education and Training chief Claire Field said any further delay would mean the second half of 2013 enrolments would also be ruined.